Page 56 of Stronger Than Love

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Chapter Twenty

Liam

I stormed through my house, flinging some clothes into a backpack, my passport and wallet on top of them.

“What the fuck, Liam? What happened?” Callum stood at my room door, arms folded across his chest.

The tears I promised would never flow again ran down my cheeks in a mixture of hate and frustration.

“She was pregnant. All those years ago when Oonagh left, she was pregnant. Fuck!” I punched the wall in frustration, adding sore knuckles to my list of problems.

“Where’s the baby?” Callum asked.

My body stilled. That question hadn’t reared itself in my head yet. My knees buckled and Callum steadied me.

“I can’t do this right now,” I told him, throwing my backpack over my shoulder.

“Liam, don’t walk away when you’re angry. I’m sure there’s an explanation.”

“What? She was pregnant and got rid of my baby. What more is there to say? I am such a FUCKING IDIOT!” I shouted, my fingers gripping my hair.

“I’ve seen the way she looks at you, Liam. That girl always was and still is head over heels batshitcrazy about you.” Callum grabbed my arm.

Our eyes met and I slowly shook my head. “I would have done anything for her, Cal. She was all I ever wanted. Even when she walked back into my life and I tried to resist her I couldn’t. I can’t do this anymore.”

I did what I should have done years ago. I got on my bike and left. My heart was in shreds and my life was ruined. There was nothing left for me here anymore.

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Chapter Twenty-One

Oonagh

An icy cold descended through me, freezing me to the core. Angie helped me to my feet, my shivering uncontrollable.

Everyone stood staring at me, but nothing mattered anymore. Martin stepped forward and my hand lifted to ward him off. “How did you know I was pregnant?” My words were laced with ice.

He looked away, guilt on his expression. “I read your medical notes after the accident and pieced everything together.”

Angie gasped beside me. He’d broken a sacred trust.

“I only found out I was pregnant when I woke up after the car crash.” My voice wobbled as I spoke to Angie. Her arm tightened around me in understanding.

“You don’t need to explain to anyone, sweetie,” she replied, rubbing my arms as I continued to shake.

Mum came to my other side. “The drunk driver who hit her left her with two broken legs, but the aftermath was worse when Oonagh found out she’s lost a baby she never knew she was carrying.”

“Why didn’t you contact Liam?” Michael asked, his tone low and filled with sympathy. “He would have been there in a heartbeat.”

“It was a dark time,” Mum intervened. “She could barely speak, never mind contact anyone. They had her sedated for days. Would everyone please leave? I need to look after my daughter.”

Angie and Mum walked me into the house and to my room. I couldn’t stop shivering, my teeth chattering together. Angie lay behind me, holding me the way we did when we were terrified and far from home, bombs detonating in the distance. My life lay in ruins at the explosive impact that had hit it. Mum sat with her back against the headboard, stroking my hair.

Ten years ago, a dark hole engulfed me, taking me prisoner. Now I was drowning in the emotions that wouldn’t shut off. Everything was too much and not enough at the same time. I couldn’t breathe, pain piercing through me with every inhalation.

Liam meant the world to me, then my life fractured and crumbled. He strolled back into my world and redesigned it with him at the centre of it.

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